The average adult feels stressed for five-and-a-half years of their life, a study has found. Running late, traffic jams and health problems mean Brits spend two hours and 11 minutes of every day feeling stressed – a total of more than 15 hours a week. That amounts to 33 days of each year – or […]

Millions of Brits will be leading a ‘mole existence’ this winter – with the average office worker only seeing sunlight for 52 minutes a week, according to new research. Nine in 10 rarely glimpse daylight during the winter months as they arrive at and leave work in the dark, according to a poll of 2000 […]

It is well known that stress can lead to weight gain, usually after reaching for a chocolate bar or a glass of wine following a long day. But it is not just comfort eating that is to blame. Our own bodies work against us to build up fat when we are under pressure. Researchers have […]

Recent research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has found that mental health problems including stress, depression and anxiety are the leading cause of workplace absence in the UK, after minor illnesses. The report also showed that the number of days taken off work with mental health problems has increased 25% year on year […]

Research out today highlights the immense pressure felt by UK employees to prioritise work ahead of relationships. One in three workers (33%) say their boss thinks work should come before family life, and a third (33%) also say their employer thinks the ideal employee should be available 24 hours a day. This is according to […]

Making the decision to start your own business as a virtual assistant and offer your tiptop organisational skills is a big step to take. While making money is obviously the goal for any start-up company, it’s important to be happy doing what you do. Here are a few tips for finding the right balance. 1 […]

It’s that dreadful time of year when your colleagues start falling victim to the much-feared cold and flu season. Being sick takes a lot out of you and can be harmful to productivity in the business too. While it’s not possible to completely prevent the spread of germs, following these simple steps could reduce your […]

Rising stress in the City is driving more than two out of three investment bank staff to consider quitting their job – but employees believe talking about stress or mental health issues to management will damage their careers, new research from MetLife shows. Its study among decision makers at financial institutions found that two out […]

As Sweden introduces a shorter working week with proven health benefits, increased productivity, and profit, and statistics showing UK workers are struggling to leave their 9-5 on time, with the majority of employees now working an extra day (8.73 hours) every week on top of their contracted hours, Pitman Training has launched a free ‘need […]

“My job is killing me.” It’s a phrase many of us have uttered at some point in our career, but a new study shows a high-stress job with no freedom might just lead you to an early grave. Researchers at Indiana University Kelley School of Business studied 2300 people from a range of vocations over […]

Work-life balance is more than a buzzword these days. With PAs taking on more and more work, it’s hard to find a happy medium that allows for a decent personal life. To help employees find out whether they should reassess their work-life balance, AXA PPP healthcare has built a simple visual quiz. If you find […]

The cost for companies to provide healthcare to staff continues to vastly outpace inflation in most major economies, according to new research by Mercer Marsh Benefits, a partnership between global professional services firms Mercer and Marsh. In the UK, medical costs are set to increase 6.4% against an inflation rate of 0.8%. The research into […]

Working near to where you live, as opposed to setting aside space to work at home, is recognised as delivering the greatest wellbeing benefits to workers, according to a new study by flexible workspace solution provider Regus. 70% of UK professionals believe that working closer to home improves health. Further analysis of the figures reveals […]

Four in five (87%) line managers are not given any training on how to support people with long-term conditions including cancer, according to new research by Macmillan Cancer Support. A YouGov survey of 1010 line managers also revealed a misconception; a quarter (26%) thought making reasonable adjustments to allow someone with cancer to keep working […]

On World Mental Health Day, the employee benefits specialist Secondsight and mental health charity Minding Your Business are calling on employers across the UK to help remove the stigma surrounding mental health issues by educating their staff and encouraging discussion – making mental health a top priority. The organisations’ approach ties in with this year’s […]

To coincide with World Mental Health Day, digital medicine company Big Health has released research that details the impact poor sleep has on mental wellbeing and recovery. The results show insomnia affects approximately 69% of adults with depression. Poor sleep also increases the risks of developing anxiety and depression and acts as a barrier to successful treatment. British respondents to […]

Research released in the fourth annual Employee Insight Report from Capita Employee Benefits reveals that almost half of UK workers (44%) know a colleague who has had to give up work because of stress, while more than a third of people (36%) say that colleagues have complained about feeling stressed to their employer, but received […]

Millions of Brits are spending large chunks of their day on autopilot – because they are living a Groundhog Day existence, a study has found. Doing the same things day-in, day-out means 94% regularly drift through their lives automatically without any real thought on what they are doing. Four in ten always end up grabbing […]